Below the Fifth Realm, All Are Ants

"Was it really that brutal...?"

After taking in the situation around him, Lin Xuan admitted that he seemed to have realized it a little too late.

Other than Xiang Beifeng, who had fainted immediately, at least a third of the candidates taking the third round of assessments had passed out.

Even among those who had not fainted, quite a few were deathly pale, Hua Yiren among them.

Perhaps not even one in ten had truly remained completely calm.

Xing Yan was one of them, and Lin Xuan naturally was as well.

Still, Lin Xuan was ultimately the youngest candidate in this round, and indeed across all three rounds.

His very presence drew attention.

Now that he had become one of the few candidates who could remain expressionless, it was only natural that Vice Dean Pei noticed him.

But since he had come to take the assessment, Lin Xuan was not afraid of being noticed. If he wanted to pass, he would have to draw attention sooner or later.

There was no point in hiding his abilities now.

Thus, when he noticed Vice Dean Pei looking at him, Lin Xuan stared right back without yielding, even returning the look with an adorably tilted head.

"An interesting little fellow..."

After a brief moment of surprise, Vice Dean Pei could not help but laugh.

His thunderous shout just now had naturally been part of this round's assessment. Its purpose was to weed out candidates whose wills were not firm enough.

There was no denying that Martial Artists had a slight advantage in this stage.

After all, most Martial Artists had to engage in frequent real combat if they wanted to keep improving.

The intimidation of such martial intent naturally had limited effect on the Martial Artists among the candidates.

But Vice Dean Pei had not made this rule. Since all the organizers had agreed to the plan, there was naturally a reason for it.

Whether Mutants or Mech-Energy Users, they might seem not to require much willpower at first glance, but the powerful figures of every path had to possess unshakable resolve!

Even if it was not their strength, it could not become a weakness.

Otherwise, when they went to the Old Soil in the future and faced alien civilizations that did not regard other races as intelligent life at all, they would only lose their lives at the first opportunity.

"Clear the area!"

Vice Dean Pei calmly instructed as he looked at the unconscious candidates.

Following his order, several staff members quickly ran out from both sides and carried away the unconscious candidates.

Only then did Xing Yan let out a breath, murmuring in amazement, "What a terrifying Martial Soul Domain. No wonder my teacher said that below the Fifth Realm, all are ants..."

"What is a Martial Soul Domain?"

In the spirit of asking whenever he did not know something, Lin Xuan asked directly.

After all, he was only three years old. What did he have to worry about when it came to saving face?

"It's an ability possessed only by Martial Artists in the Fifth Realm. It allows them to manifest their martial will, and they can even combine it with their techniques to unleash layered attacks. Its power is terrifying!"

Xing Yan said excitedly, "Vice Dean Pei deployed his Martial Soul Domain just now, but he probably didn't fully unleash it... Otherwise, with Vice Dean Pei's terrifying Sixth Realm strength, far more than this handful of people would have fainted.

Unfortunately, my teacher never entered the Fifth Realm in his entire life, so I never had the chance to witness the splendor of a Martial Soul Domain. This is my first time seeing one!"

This was actually an ability exclusive to the Fifth Realm?

Lin Xuan was stunned!

He might not have known what a Martial Soul Domain was, but he had experienced one before!

Not only had he experienced it, he had experienced it more than once. The only difference was that the Martial Soul Domains he had encountered had a somewhat different style from Vice Dean Pei's.

Yet no matter how different they were, the feeling they gave him was incredibly similar.

"Big Sis is already in the Fifth Realm?!"

Lin Xuan suddenly felt that Xing Yan was hardly some second-generation heir.

He was the real second-generation heir!

No, he should be considered first-generation!

Because his backer was not his parents, but his own big sister!

Although he did not know much about the supernatural world, the information he could find online was already enough for him to understand what the Fifth Realm of martial arts represented!

One had to know that even the president of the Longjiang Martial Artists Association, who frequently appeared on local Longjiang news, was only in the Fifth Realm!

Even if there were differences in strength among those in the Fifth Realm, one should not forget that Lin Rou was only twenty years old!

Lin Xuan vaguely remembered that when his big sister Lin Rou took the Martial Arts College Entrance Examination, she had still been in the Third Realm. She definitely had not broken through to the Fourth Realm.

Because the previous Martial Arts College Entrance Examination had not produced a single Fourth Realm candidate. Even the national champion had only been in the Martial Arts Third Realm.

Only two years had passed since then, yet his big sister had broken through two realms in a row and entered the Fifth Realm?!

If he had not accidentally learned about Martial Soul Domains, Lin Xuan would never have guessed that his big sister was actually this powerful.

Just as Lin Xuan's thoughts were in turmoil, Vice Dean Pei spoke again.

"Passing the test just now at least proves that your willpower is up to standard, but that is all..."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Vice Dean Pei said indifferently, "The next test is the main course. Only those who persist until the end can be considered victorious."

By now, everyone had recovered from their earlier emotions and waited quietly for Vice Dean Pei's next instruction.

"Keep following me."

Vice Dean Pei turned around again and motioned for everyone to follow.

After a batch of people had already been eliminated, everyone understood that only by closely following Vice Dean Pei and making no mistakes could they remain.

Naturally, none of them dared let their guard down, and they hurried after him.

It was worth mentioning that the four rounds of assessments this time differed not only in content, but also in location.

This was to prevent certain well-connected individuals from obtaining the questions in advance.

The first round had been held at the headquarters of the Tai Xia Research Institute, while the second had taken place at one of Crimson Flame's branch bases.

As for this third round, it was being held at one of Qinghong Academy's campuses.

That was also why Vice Dean Pei was serving as the chief examiner this time.

Outside the assessment area, staff members brought out the candidates who had just been eliminated and handed them over to their respective team leaders.

"I'm sorry, Minister Gao... I've let you down!"

Xiang Beifeng, who had already regained consciousness, apologized to Gao Yang with an ashen face.

He had never imagined that, among the four who had come together this time, he would be the first to be eliminated.

Even Lin Xuan, who looked like he had come along for fun, had not been eliminated, yet he had...

Gao Yang patted Xiang Beifeng on the shoulder. "Let the past stay in the past. But remember this lesson. As a Mechanical Modifier, you may not necessarily need exceptionally powerful willpower, but if you cannot even withstand this level of intimidation, then no amount of modification will be of use."

"Yes!" Xiang Beifeng said, cupping his fist in his palm.

The look on his face made it clear that after this, training his willpower would definitely become his top priority.

"Not bad, Old Xing. Your sixth kid is no simple fellow," Gao Yang said with a smile as he looked at Xing Taisen.

"Give me a break. Compared with the little fellow Minister Li brought along, my sixth kid is perfectly normal."

Xing Taisen looked at Li Xin with some feeling.